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Abstract

This study was designed to explore: 1) What language choices are being made by students at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez when they are text messaging? 2) What are the differences in language use to text message by gender and proficiency level at UPRM? 3) What is the relationship between language use and domain choices made by students at UPRM to text messaging? A self reported questionnaire was administered to 74 participants. Although both English and Spanish were used simultaneously, Spanish had an overwhelming majority in regards to words used in their text messages. Both male and female displayed use of English within their text messages, but males from private schools used the varieties which required more train of thought such as: code switching and text-talk, while women from public schools used more stock phrases which is a variety that is not so challenging. Both languages are used in text messages and in domains of students, but the domain of “home” continues to be influenced heavily by Spanish. An examination of 502 text messages in terms of language use, constraints and attitudes showed the results compared to Zentella (1997), Carroll (2008), Al-Khatib and Sabbah (2008) and Grellhesl (2010).